County Court Judgement CCJ

What Is A County Court Judgement or CCJ?	What to do if a County Court Claim is made against you If you owe money and do not make repayments as required, the creditor - the person or company you owe the money to - can go to court to have the debt enforced. If the sum owed is less than £5,000, the creditor can make a County Court Claim. This is done via a County Court, but is often referred to as "the small claims court". If a County Court Claim is made against you, the Court will write to you with details of the claim and ask you to respond. You have 16 days from the date on the postmark to do so. You have a number of options open to you in response to a County Court Claim. Pay the debt in full within 14 days If you decide to pay in full, you must:include the court fees, costs and any interest - all of which will be noted in the County Court Claim sent to you. Do not send any payments to the Court - send the payment directly to the claimant at the address given on the claim form and make sure the claimant receives your payment within 14 days (allowing at least two days for posting). When sending payment, ask for a receipt to be sent by return. If you pay in full within the 14 day deadline, that is the end of the matter. You do not need to contact the court or complete any of the forms sent to you. You can ask for time to pay by filling in the Admission Form (N9A) If you can't afford to pay the money all at once, but do want to settle the debt, you can ask for time to pay. You will need to fill in the 'Admission Form' N9A and state on the form how you want to pay (for example, in instalments or by a certain date). Send the form directly to the claimant at the address shown on the claim form and again make sure the claimant receives your form within 14 days (allowing at least two days for posting). It's also a good idea to keep a copy for yourself. You can challenge the amount owed by making what is called "making a part admission" by filling in the Admission Form and a Defence Form (N9A and N9B) If you do owe some money, but dispute the amount claimed, you can make "a part admission". In this instance you will need to fill in Admission Form N9A and Defence Form N9B and return them to the court that issued them. State on the forms how much you think you owe the claimant and why you believe you don't owe the amount claimed. Again, make sure the court receives the forms within 14 days (allowing at least two days for posting). You can either pay the amount you think you owe straight away or you can ask for time to pay either by instalments or by a certain date. You can defend the claim by filling in Defence Form N9B f you do not believe you owe the money claimed, fill in Defence Form N9B and return it to the issuing court within 14 days (allowing at least two days for posting). Make sure you answer all the points raised under "allegations" in the original claim. You can issue a counter-claim by completing the counterclaim section of Defence Form (N9B) if you think you are owed money by the claimant that could offset some or all of the claim If you think you are owed money by the claimant that could offset some, or all, of the claim, you can make a counterclaim by completing the counterclaim section of the defence form. If you do make a counterclaim there may be a fee for doing so - court staff will be able to advise you about this.

What Is A County Court Judgement or CCJ?

What to do if a County Court Claim is made against you

If you owe money and do not make repayments as required, the creditor - the person or company you owe the money to - can go to court to have the debt enforced.

If the sum owed is less than £5,000, the creditor can make a County Court Claim. This is done via a County Court, but is often referred to as "the small claims court".

If a County Court Claim is made against you, the Court will write to you with details of the claim and ask you to respond. You have 16 days from the date on the postmark to do so.

You have a number of options open to you in response to a County Court Claim.

Pay the debt in full within 14 days

If you decide to pay in full, you must:include the court fees, costs and any interest - all of which will be noted in the County Court Claim sent to you.

Do not send any payments to the Court - send the payment directly to the claimant at the address given on the claim form and make sure the claimant receives your payment within 14 days (allowing at least two days for posting).

When sending payment, ask for a receipt to be sent by return.

If you pay in full within the 14 day deadline, that is the end of the matter. You do not need to contact the court or complete any of the forms sent to you.

You can ask for time to pay by filling in the Admission Form (N9A)

If you can't afford to pay the money all at once, but do want to settle the debt, you can ask for time to pay.

You will need to fill in the 'Admission Form' N9A and state on the form how you want to pay (for example, in instalments or by a certain date).

Send the form directly to the claimant at the address shown on the claim form and
again make sure the claimant receives your form within 14 days (allowing at least two days for posting).

It's also a good idea to keep a copy for yourself.

You can challenge the amount owed by making what is called "making a part admission" by filling in the Admission Form and a Defence Form (N9A and N9B)

If you do owe some money, but dispute the amount claimed, you can make "a part admission".

In this instance you will need to fill in Admission Form N9A and Defence Form N9B and return them to the court that issued them.

State on the forms how much you think you owe the claimant and why you believe you don't owe the amount claimed.

Again, make sure the court receives the forms within 14 days (allowing at least two days for posting).

You can either pay the amount you think you owe straight away or you can ask for time to pay either by instalments or by a certain date.

You can defend the claim by filling in Defence Form N9B

f you do not believe you owe the money claimed, fill in Defence Form N9B and return it to the issuing court within 14 days (allowing at least two days for posting).

Make sure you answer all the points raised under "allegations" in the original claim.

You can issue a counter-claim by completing the counterclaim section of Defence Form (N9B) if you think you are owed money by the claimant that could offset some or all of the claim

If you think you are owed money by the claimant that could offset some, or all, of the claim, you can make a counterclaim by completing the counterclaim section of the defence form.

If you do make a counterclaim there may be a fee for doing so - court staff will be able to advise you about this.

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